Tag Archives: near science fiction

Copy That

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This week I was preparing for another out-of-town event. As I sorted stock, I realised I was opening my last box of Replicate paperbacks. (Apologies for the terrible post title pun … but, hey, replicate … copy … Ahhh, how about we move on … lol.) For those who aren’t familiar with the Blaine Colton trilogy, I’ll drop a Replicate marketing tile below as a refresher. 🙂

The day was warm, but as I packed books and loaded the car for my trip, it didn’t take long for me to start sweating uncomfortably. While travelling to the city where that event was being held, I watched the external temperature climb on the car thermometer through some regions, hitting the Queensland-typical heights our state is known for during this spring to summer transition season. That’s when we usually see our most spectacular storms, which you’ll also read about in Replicate, given it’s set in the lead up to Christmas and through into the New Year.

In that moment I had a flash back to a day in December, all but ten years ago. It had been a comparable season and I was at the midpoint of the Replicate manuscript, pressing towards a completion deadline. I was sitting in a chair, sweat beading down my body, wetting my clothing and chair seat. The temperature was hovering around 43/44 degrees Celsius (109.4 to 111.2 Fahrenheit for the Americans out there). There was no air-conditioning where I was writing, and barely a breeze. I’d spent some days wrangling with Blaine and Jett, writing out their ‘bromance adventure’ to the Sunshine Coast. Five thousand words later, after letting them lead the related scenes, we were no closer to the pivot point that would catalyse the next part of the story.

I tried many different versions of that scene sequence until, finally, I realised there was only one thing that would back Blaine into such a tight a corner to make him resolved enough to enact the plan critical to hitting the remaining plots points and reaching the story resolution, within my target word count. And it was not an option I really wanted to entertain. (Many of you know what I’m talking about …)

This leads me to an exciting (and considerably more uplifting, for those who have read the trilogy) announcement. As you may remember, I have been chipping away at Jett’s story over the past few years. I refer to it as book 1.5 in relation to the trilogy, as it sits between Integrate (book one) and into the first half of Replicate. Well, that manuscript is completed and I’m finally at a point where I feel like this novella might become a reality in the coming period.

So, keep you ears tuned for more news on this, and like Blaine in Replicate I hope you’re starting to get in a festive spirit leading up to Christmas 2024. It won’t be long before we’re singing carols and stringing up tinsel. Enjoy! 🙂

Questions of Faith and Science Fiction

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The very first review of Signal Erased was reasonably generous, but the reviewer questioned “
 a religious tone that may be unexpected for some readers 
”

Is there a place for God in science fiction?

The reviewer’s tone made it clear they found “godly rhetoric” in the story uncomfortable, highlighting a scene when the heroine, Anna, asks her potential rescuer, Rennie, whether he’s ever asked God about healing for his long-term health condition. The lead to this highlight was “unfortunately”. And that’s fair, given that is the reviewer’s opinion, but clearly they find the idea of supernatural healing and intervention peculiar.

I actually welcome discussions with readers about my stories, including questions of why certain elements or incidents have been included. That said, I admit when writing Signal Erased, I hesitated depicting Anna’s worldview as being openly Jesus-centred, given how this might be received by some of my readers.

Given I write near-science fiction, my stories encompass futuristic technologies threaded around contemporary scenarios. I suppose I could be more allegorical and nuanced, but I allow my characters to wrestle with big life-questions we all encounter. These questions include faith, identity, self-worth, loss, relationship breakdown, health crises and more. To me, these are fundamental questions we all must answer for ourselves.  However, my past heroes have come from a sceptical position when it comes to faith and “God questions”.

Anna is the first character I’ve written who has settled her spirituality. Yet, she has also misconstrued her beliefs to cover a gaping wound of denied grief, instead, constantly striving to be the ultra-good girl. But why include the “Jesus love stuff” (as Rennie calls it), knowing it may raise brows and maybe even lose me some readers?

Whether we know it or not, we all have beliefs, faith and a worldview we live by. I understand not every person’s religious experiences are positive—some are crushingly detrimental. It makes me sad, even angry, when I learn of a searching heart who has been taken advantage of in what has become termed spiritual abuse. So why broach spirituality in my stories?

The fact is we are spiritual beings—whether people ration this as a survival mechanism, supernatural, or otherwise. It is my experience we are heard, seen and known; purposed in this moment of time by a higher power, who delights in spending time with us and sharing his heart in a very personal way. But, I believe, often our God-image gets distorted by our human filters and put in a box of regulations and restrictions we are comfortable with. Like Anna’s “always play it safe” perspective.

To purposely exclude this from a story would be to me, well, unnatural. And yet, we often do. In Anna’s case, it is very much a part of who she is and she simply wouldn’t have been the same character without this.

Something I find curious is readers seldom question or experience discomfort when an author includes spirituality from a non-Christian or even occultic angle. Although this is still embracing the supernatural and depicting faith (in powers of darkness), I personally find these stories difficult, having heard accounts of people who have suffered through devastating ritual abuse. And yet, the fact there is such acceptance of these stories reiterates our acceptance of the supernatural and spirituality as an intrinsic part of our make-up.

Let’s be honest—no one likes “preachy”. If I’m writing a scene where a character is wrestling with spiritual questions, I try letting it flow in a way that is natural and accessible, whilst consistent with the character. I don’t always get this balance right, but I am comfortable letting my characters explore these issues, even if they remain unresolved. After all, they’re still figuring out life for themselves.

That said, I’ve seen too much to not believe there is more to life than the physical world around us. What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts

So, Tell Me?

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“You write near science fiction? What’s that mean?”

This question often comes up in relation to the genre of my stories. In response, I explain these stories are based on current and/or theorised science pushed just beyond the bounds of what’s actually (or in some cases, ethically) possible. You may have seen a previous post on the challenge of when science catches up? In ten years, it has.

Photo Credit: swiftsciencewriting, Pixabay

Remember how the Blaine Colton trilogy is founded on “revolutionary gene therapy”? To find a balance between “over science-ing” the story whilst leaving space for the imagination, the specifics and risks of this gene-modifying technology were not laid out in detail. Being new technology, many of the longer-term risks were extrapolated based on known problems of various delivery systems (for example, problematic levels of inflammation, immune interactions), but many remain unknown to this day. Instead I offer a hint here, a reference there. For this reason people sometimes ask for more.

Previously I had to explain types of delivery systems and mechanisms, the potential problems of integrating new genetic material into an organism, and more. Fast track to now, and I can simply say, “You know these experimental shots people are eagerly receiving for the current virus of interest 
? Yeah, the fundamental concept is pretty much that.” And something I’ve recently learnt, not only can people develop allergies to GMO products (I knew that already, BUT), some individuals develop sensitivities to people who’ve taken these shots! (Keep an eye out for my soon-to-be released short story inspired by this scenario. 😉)

Against this rapidly changing backdrop, my stories have increasingly leaned towards fringe or even dystopian scenarios to stay a little ahead of the crush. In my “Crossed Spaces” short story Over and Out, I reference PICs—Personal Identification Chips—for the tracking and control of the population by the GG (Global Government), along with intrusive facial recognition technology that can see a person located and swiftly arrested within minutes of identification. I knew identification chips were a thing in some European countries, but not a widely accepted concept. As for facial recognition software, well, anyone been watching China lately 
? However 


Photo Credit: Geralt, Pixabay

Little over a year since writing that story, we see Sweden implanting tracking/status chips into flocking recipients in the name of “safety”. (Really???) Not only is this the type of technology on which social credit systems are built and enforced, but intrusive facial recognition monitoring has even been proposed here in Australia by our leaders, with early reports by news outlets suggesting uses could include “enforcing social distancing, mask wearing etc”. Add to this the latest Digital ID legislation that’s being pushed through our parliament and the governing leaders would have capacity to identify, track and punish anyone who is deemed to have breached government-dictated behaviours through technology that allows citizen connectivity and biometrics monitoring for access to community services, travel and financial “credits”. If adopted, “Division 8, Northwest GG Quadrant” from Over and Out may not seem quite so farfetched. (It’s a fun story. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.)

I could detail other fiction I’ve penned that has become reality, from harvesting human embryonic organs to behaviour-modifying technology. No doubt I’m not the only science fiction author witnessing this trend. Like anything in science, just because we can, doesn’t mean we ought. And like any decision, convenience and fear should never be the driving determinants, but awareness should, and the capacity to see where seemingly beneficial technologies could lead without appropriate regulation.

I’ve a hunch we’ve only seen the tip of “near science fiction” proposed for our societies by certain well-resourced entities. No doubt more reveals will come. Hopefully most of us have our ears and eyes open so we can recognise when bounds are being overstepped, and can thus respond with future generations in mind to foster the good and question what is not.